


Smile

by meleonon



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: M/M, domestic AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 06:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6841972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meleonon/pseuds/meleonon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone is fighting a battle that no one else knows of. Sometimes all it takes is one act of kindness to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smile

**Author's Note:**

> This is a domestic au. I had assumed that everyone reading would with know or be able to figure out that John=Big Boss and Adam=Ocelot. But just as a precaution, there it is. As of right now...this is only a one-shot and will stay a one-shot unless there is enough interest for me to go further with it. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it.

Dozens of people walked past a man who, no matter how he tried, couldn’t fit in with all the smiling and laughing people around him. Eyes downcast, the man brushed past people who didn’t give him a second glance, but he figured that it suited him just fine. He just wanted to be left alone, but his friend Eva, kept telling him he needed to reenter life as a normal civilian. He huffed in annoyance, it was easier said than done.

Glancing both ways before crossing the street, John headed for his destination, Central Park. He figured if he left the house then Eva would stop her bitching about him needing to leave the house and getting some sunshine since he was becoming depressed. Huffing again, he glanced around the park and spotted an unoccupied bench in the far corner of the park, far enough away from people so he wouldn’t have to communicate with anyone. Making his way over to the bench, he wondered if maybe Eva had been telling the truth about him getting depressed, but quickly dismissed the idea. Of course he wasn’t getting depressed…sure he hadn’t gone out in a while…or talked to any of his old friends (other than Eva…and he probably wouldn’t have talked to her if she hadn’t shown up at his house and practically forced her way in).

Sitting on the wooden bench, John let his gaze wander around the park at all the park-goers. He noticed that most of them were either in pairs or groups, he was probably the only person in the park who wasn’t there with someone else. He realized that he didn’t care, it suited him just fine. Pulling out a cigar from his pocket, he placed the tip into his mouth and bit down. Fishing in his pockets for his lighter, his thoughts wandered back to a subject that always seemed to push its way into the front of his mind.

Six years ago, he was drafted into the army to fight a war that he hadn’t even known was happening in a country that he had never heard of. Six years of being on the front lines had taken its toll on the soldier emotionally and physically. Killing had hardened his heart, something he hadn’t realized until he had returned home and talked to Eva. She noticed how little he smiled since returning from the war, and it had worried her but he noticed that things had changed since being in the war. Running his fingers across the eyepatch that covered where his left eye should have been, he sighed. Not necessarily because he missed his eye (though he did), but he realized he left his lighter at home and now he can’t smoke his cigar and it bummed him out.

Sinking down in his seat, he laid his head on the back of the bench, debating whether it was time to head home. After all, he had left the house like he had told Eva he would. He never said how long he would leave for. He figured fifteen minutes was plenty of time. Just as he made up his mind to leave, a yell rang across the park. Before John could locate the source of the noise, a large furry mass leapt onto the open spot on the bench next to him and started licking all over his face. When John lifted his hands to try to block the onslaught, his hands took the brunt of the slimy attack. Finally able to shove his loving attacker away, he was met with a single eye staring back at him. Whining slightly, the dog raised his paw and rested it on John’s leg. John let out a small smile as rubbed the canine between the ears, the dog’s tail started thumping against the bench in tune to a happy dog song.

“DD!” The sudden call surprised John who turned to look at the approaching man. The dog next to him, DD, whined and tried to hide behind John, hoping that his owner isn’t mad at him for running off to see the man on the bench. John watched as the blond man approached him and the dog and chuckled when the dog put on a pathetic sad dog face.

“DD, come.” At the man’s call, DD jumped off the bench and walked over to his owner, leaning up against his leg in his own way of apologizing. Scratching his pooch’s head, the newcomer looked up at John.

“I’m sorry about that. Usually he doesn’t run up to strangers. He…has an attitude sometimes and…” John cut him off, “It’s fine. He didn’t do any harm.”

The man went quiet and continued to rub DD’s head. “Well…he still shouldn’t do that. He is a big dog and could easily hurt someone.” The man shifted on his feet, obviously a bit uncomfortable with the silence that had soon fallen over them. DD decided to leave his master’s side and went over to John, pushing the man’s leg with his furry shoulder and staring up at the scruffy man expectantly, to which John ruffled his head affectionately.

“What kind of dog is he?” John asked, breaking the silence and making the other man visibly startle. He obviously hadn’t expected to be addressed and it took him a moment to comprehend that he had been asked a question.

“I…don’t really know.” He answered lamely after a few moments. “The breeder that I got him from was…” He paused, mulling over his next few words. “…a bit shady. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has some wolf in him though.” John finally gave the man a good looking over and noticed how handsome he was.  He was fair in complexion; light blond hair, blue eyes and rather pale skin. He had high cheekbones and full lips. John caught himself staring at the man and quickly tried to cover up his blatant stare.

“Well, anyways…he’s a nice dog. He…has a nice…coat.” John stumbled out, mentally smacking himself. The man quirked an eyebrow at him in a mixture of confusion and suspicion, but didn’t say anything about his strange outburst.

“Yeah, well…I don’t want to bother you anymore. I should…” John cut him off again, “I don’t mind your company.” He said, confusing the man in front of him as much as he confused himself.

“Oh…well. Okay then. Mind if I sit?” The younger man eventually asked, motioning towards the empty spot next to John.

“Go ahead.”

“Thanks.” With that, he lowered himself onto the bench and pat his leg, to which DD came over to his owner and sat leaning against his leg, tail thumping happily. After a good two awkward minutes of silence between the two strangers, the blond haired man broke the silence. “So…you’ve lived here long?”

John turned his gaze to the man next to him “Yeah. Since I was a kid. It’s a nice little town.” The man nodded and looked at DD, obviously very uncomfortable. John didn’t blame him though, since they were complete strangers and well…John remembered his eyepatch and realized he must look rather scary for people who didn’t really know him. Perhaps this kid thought he was a gang member who had lost his eye in a brawl for drugs…or with the mafia…either way, the thought was terrifying. John tried not to chuckle and make the poor kid even more scared of him.

“I’m Adamska by the way. But, Adam works fine too since people have issues saying my name.” He said after another minute of silence. John could agree with these other people on the fact that Adamska was a hard name to remember, let alone pronounce, besides, he thought that Adam fit him better anyways.

“John. But you can call me John for short.” He told Adam, earning an incredulous look from the man.

“Okay. John it is then, definitely easier to remember and pronounce than John.” Adam told him, sounding completely serious, making John laugh. At the sound of John’s laughter, DD started to bark along happily, standing up and wiggling his entire body along with his tail. John pat him on the head, realizing his heart felt lighter than it had in a long time.

“So, I know that it probably isn’t my business, but what happened to your eye? Or do you just like dressing up like a pirate?” Adam questioned him, giving John his full attention for probably the first time since he had come over to the secluded bench.

“I could ask the same for you cowboy.” John shot back, teasing him playfully about his cowboy boots and spurs. Adam’s face turned red and he spluttered for a moment, trying to come up with a response but eventually he must have decided that glaring at him was the best course of action.

“Look, if you don’t want to talk about it then its fine. I don’t need to know about your pirate fetish anyways.” It was John’s turn to turn red in the face, honestly not expecting _that_.

“I…don’t have a pirate…Well what about your cowboy fetish then? Wanna talk about that?” John slyly asked, stuffing his unlit cigar between his lips so he wouldn’t burst out in laughter.

“I. Am. Leaving.” Adam spit out between gritted teeth, his eyebrows furrowed in a furious rage. Obviously he wasn’t used to being teased, especially by someone that he just met. John couldn’t help it any longer. His cigar fell to his lap, forgotten for the moment, as he threw his head back and let out a bellowing laugh. When he sobered up, he looked to the spot that Adam had occupied moments before and was surprised to see him gone. Looking around the park, he saw the angry blond man walking away from him, DD close at his heels.

Standing and chasing after the other man, John caught up to him within a few seconds. Adam, hearing someone next to him, whipped his head towards his follower and, upon seeing John, narrowed his eyes in anger.

“What? You weren’t finished mocking me? Come to make…” Adam started to snap at him, almost growling it at him. John raised his hands in a peace offering, trying to let him know that he wasn’t here to make him any angrier.

Cutting him off before he could get any further in his tirade, John pointed to a small diner across the street. “They have good burgers.”

Adam shut his mouth with an almost audible click and stared at John in absolute confusion. “Yeah…I’m sure they do. What does that have to do with anything?” Adam asked, his anger having melted away.

John stared at Adam for a good thirty seconds like he didn’t understand what he was asking.

“I’m hungry.” John stated like it was the most obvious fact in the world and he was confused as to why Adam didn’t know that.

Adam chuckled slightly and shrugged his shoulders, “Then go eat. I don’t see how that has anything to do with me.” Adam turned to walk away and leave John alone to go eat. John put his hand on his shoulder, stopping him from going any further. Adam turned his head to look at John, glancing at the hand on his shoulder, then at his face.

“They have good burgers.” John repeated again, much to Adam’s confusion.

“Yeah, you already told me that. I’m sure they do.” Adam narrowed his eyebrows again, this time trying to decode John’s cryptic communication.

“You should come eat too.” John finally supplied, helping give Adam enough of a codebreaker to understand his underlying message…but he couldn’t help himself.

“John. Are you asking me out?” Adam teased, cocking an eyebrow at him…but was disappointed when John didn’t take (or understand) the bait.

“We’re already out and I’m starving. I want to eat.” John told him, not understanding the reason why Adam suddenly huffed in what seemed like annoyance.

“Alright then. I’ll come eat with you, but we’ll have to eat outside.” Adam said, turning to head in the direction of the diner that John had pointed out a few minutes earlier. John was about to ask why they had to eat outside, when DD brushed past his leg to catch up to his owner and he realized that the diner wouldn’t allow DD inside with the other diner patrons.

Catching up with Adam, he figured now was a good time to tell him something that he had neglected to mention earlier.

“So…I didn’t bring my wallet with me.” John said as if he was continuing their previous conversation. Adam looked at John unimpressed, but chuckled anyways.

“I figured. Don’t worry, I’ll pay.” Adam informed a now very happy John, but then continued “But, this means that you’ll have to take me out later in return.” Not waiting for a response, Adam stepped out onto the street and, making sure DD was right next to him, crossed the normally busy road to the other side. John followed right behind the two across the road, but walked next to Adam once they started heading for the diner.

“That’s fine. It’s only fair. Thanks” John finally answered once he was able to, earning a smirk from the other man.

“I guess we have a date set up then.” Adam said almost teasingly, nearly batting his eyes at him and smirking at him playfully.

John was nearly tempted to kiss him just to wipe that smirk off his face…figured his reaction would be worth it…but he didn’t get the chance to make up his mind when Adam broke his train of thought.

“So this is the place that has the ‘good burgers’ then?” He asked, looking at the little diner. John blinked a couple times to clear his head before answering.

“Yeah. I’ll go inside and order if…” he paused for a moment, trying to think how to word what he wanted to say. As if reading his mind, Adam pulled out his wallet and handed him money for the burgers and drinks.

“Alright. I’ll stay out here with DD then.” Adam said after handing John the money. He sat at one of the round, black tables out front, DD sitting next to him, happy to be out of the sun and in the shade. John made his way inside and up to the front counter. The diner was an older diner, he wasn’t sure exactly when it was built, but it had been around when he was a kid. The woman at the front smiled at him as he walked up to her.

“Do you want a table sir?” She asked pleasantly, glancing around to see if there was an open table.

“No, I’ve got one outside. I’d just like to place the order.” She smiled and took his order, informing him that it’d be done soon and she’d take it out to him once it was finished. He nodded and walked back outside.

Adam was sitting at the table, staring at something across the street. He looked to be deep in thought and John _almost_ felt bad breaking his train of thought, but didn’t.

“What are you thinking about?” Adam turned his gaze towards John and stared at him for a moment before answering.

“You.” With that, he went silent and didn’t elaborate further. John wasn’t sure if he wanted to know anyways.

“So…” John tried to start another conversation, but the other man cut him off before he could get any further.

“You never did answer my question.”

John blinked in confusion. _Question? What question?_

“About what happened to your eye.” Adam elaborated and the switch from confusion to understanding was a visible change in expression as it clicked within John’s head what Adam was talking about.

“Oh, right that.” John paused for a moment with the musing that everything always seemed to come back to his time in the service. “I was a soldier in the war. I was stationed in…some place whose name I could never seem to pronounce right and I can’t say I cared enough to really try to remember how it was pronounced. It wasn’t my country and I didn’t really want to be there and…” John glanced at Adam and saw that he seemed to be hanging onto every word he said…and then realized how negative he sounded right now. “Well…saying that out loud seems kinda…coldhearted but…” John rubbed the back of his neck, trying to figure out how to get himself out of sounding like a complete insensitive asshole.

“I understand. You open your heart or mind to a country that you’re supposed to be fighting against and it could create complications for a soldier.” Adam supplied, much to John’s relief.

“Right…so anyways. It was during one of the battles at some fort and…I got too close to an enemy soldier. He tried to shoot me, but I managed to hit his arm up and kept the gunshot from killing me, but the muzzle flash blinded my eye.” John, reflexively, reached into his pocket to pull out cigar as he usually does when he feels stressed. Pulling it out, he placed it in his mouth and bit down on the end, enjoying the taste of the tobacco, but still bummed that he couldn’t smoke it right then.

“Did you kill him?” The question startled him and he turned his head towards the man sitting across from him.

He was saved from answering as the waitress from before came up and gave them their food.

“Anything else that you need?” John glanced at Adam, who shook his head.

“No, thank you though.”

“Alright, let me know if you need anything else.” John’s gaze followed the young waitress until she walked back into the main diner and then turned around to look at the man across from him. Adam seems to have gotten distracted from his previous question, and had turned his attention to his food. They sat together in silence while eating their food, though John didn’t mind the silence.

John nearly jumped when he felt something move against his leg and rest against his thigh, uncomfortably close to his cock. He stared at Adam, unsure what to say.

_Does…he know where he is touching me?_

Adam soon noticed John’s prolonged stare and cocked an eyebrow at him. “Is there something wrong John?” John shifted slightly and the weight lifted away from his leg completely.

“No…I just…” John didn’t know what to say. Thinking about it, it had felt kinda…nice and he was slightly disappointed that he had moved away. “…you know…you didn’t have to move away…I was just…” John paused again at the bewildered look Adam gave him.

“Move away?” John could almost see the cogs turning in Adam’s head trying to figure out just what John was talking about. “I…what are you talking about?”

John didn’t know if he was playing dumb or…

Feeling the weight on his leg return, John looked down only to see DD staring up at him from his lap. Saying that he felt stupid right then was a major understatement.

“Uh…never mind. It was nothing.” John hoped that Adam would just drop it…unfortunately for him, he didn’t.

“No, I’m sure it was something. What? Are you scared?” Adam stared at him, a smirk on his face.

“I’m not scared. I…already figured it out.” He responded, hoping that he took that as a closing on that conversation.

“What did you mean by _I didn’t have to move away_?” John felt like groaning, couldn’t he take a hint and just drop it? It was obvious to John that he wasn’t going to drop it.

“Look, DD had his head on my leg and then moved away. I thought that…” John stopped as Adam started laughing, causing the other people sitting outside to look in their direction. After a minute, Adam’s laughter faded to chuckles as he shook his head in amusement.

“You thought that I was groping you under the table and didn’t want _me_ to move away.” Adam finished John’s sentence, giving him an amused look. Suddenly, John understood why Adam had stormed off earlier…he felt rather humiliated when Adam put it the way he did; blunt and vulgar.

John looked down at his empty plate and decided that it was time to go home. He had left the house and been social, so he figured that was enough to make Eva happy. Standing and grabbing both his and Adam’s empty plates, John took the dishes inside, thanking the waitress before heading out.

Stepping into the sunlight again, John squinted his eyes until they readjusted to the bright light. Turning his head slightly, he saw that Adam hadn’t left yet. John debated whether or not he should say anything to Adam before leaving, but noticed he was paying more attention to DD and figured that it was alright for him to just leave. Walking away from the small diner, John passed by people who paid no attention to him, though he still didn’t care.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” John paused midstride. Turning his gaze to the source of the voice, he saw Adam and DD making their way over to him. He stopped, and waited for them to catch up to him before answering.

“Home.”

“Oh…well, you could have at least said goodbye like a normal person before leaving.” Adam huffed, rolling his eyes at the other man’s lack of social etiquette.

“Well…yeah. I suppose so.” John stared at the other man, unsure whether to just goodbye now and walk away…or “Where do you live?”

Adam blinked in confusion at his straight forwardness…after all, most normal people don’t ask an almost stranger where they live…unless they were planning on killing them in their home. Adam snorted at the thought, _Well, I guess John isn’t really like other normal people_.

“I live a further out into the country. DD likes to come to Central Park every once in a while, so I take him to the city so he can have some fun too.” Adam told him, paused, and then continued, “My bike is parked near that one coffee shop down that way though.” Adam finished, pointing in the same general direction that John lived.

“I live in that direction. I can walk with you to your bike if you want.” Shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, though he honestly hoped that Adam wouldn’t mind keeping him company for a bit longer, though he had completely forgotten his previous embarrassment.

“Sure, I don’t mind and I don’t think DD would mind either, right boy?” aiming the last part at the happy canine, who barked thrice in what they both took as agreement.

The three of them headed off, ambling amongst the crowd of people, all of whom looked like they had somewhere important to be and the people around them were of little importance to them, like they were a bunch of annoying flies that did nothing but get in their way and impede their journey.

Before, John had noticed the way that the other people had parted around him, as if they were afraid of what he would do if they got in his way. Now, he noticed that people were leaving an even larger space between themselves and him, Adam, and DD. He chuckled at the thought of the people being afraid of DD. Sure, he looked a lot like a wolf which everyone knows to be evil and powerful…but DD was just a fluffy ball of love in actuality.

Addressing Adam, John questioned if he noticed the way people avoided them. He laughed, agreeing with him.

“They are scared of DD. At the park, kids will go around to the other dogs asking if they can pet them. But they take one look at DD and they see a rapid wolf, especially when he gets excited. Most people stay away from him if they can, but he means no harm.” DD stared at the two men, knowing they were talking about him. He barked once and John nearly laughed at the way a woman passing by at that moment jumped and nearly dropped the bag in her hand before heading in the opposite direction that they were going as fast as she could.

John could see the coffee shop that he assumed Adam had been talking about. Crossing the street, John and Adam (and DD) headed around to the backside of the small brick building to where Adam’s bike was parked. DD, upon seeing their ride home, ran ahead and plopped down in front of the motorcycle.

“So, do you live nearby then?” Adam asked as they joined DD near the motorcycle.

“Yeah, only a couple of blocks actually.” John told him, kinda disappointed that they were going to say goodbye. He actually had had fun today, but he didn’t quite want to admit that Eva had been right all along.

“Want me to walk you home so you don’t get lost?” Adam asked with a shit eating grin, as if he was some little kid who would get lost…

…or a senior citizen who couldn’t remember what they had eaten for breakfast that morning…

“I’m going to assume that wasn’t supposed to be an old person joke…but no. I’ll be fine.” John said, his good heart winning out believing that Adam wouldn’t stoop that low.

Adam laughed and shook his head. “Well alright then. Be safe.” Adam turned towards DD, who in the few moments that they hadn’t paid attention to him had grabbed a pair of what looked like goggles in his mouth. “Ready DD?” Adam grabbed the goggles and placed them, not on his own face, but over DD’s remaining eye. The goggles looked like they had been specially made for DD since they fit perfectly on his muzzle and the straps wrapped around his head, ensuring they wouldn’t fall off.

Throwing his left leg over the side of the bike, Adam started up the engine and John had to admit, the purr of the engine almost made his ask Adam for a ride home. He hadn’t ridden a motorcycle in years, and he realized that he missed the rumble of the engine, the way the wind blew at your face as you drove down the road, and especially the adrenaline rush that simply riding the bike gave you.

DD jumped up onto the bike in front of Adam and sat down, looking content with his owner’s arms mostly wrapped around him as he grabbed the handles of the bike. Releasing the brake, Adam up righted the machine then smiled at John.

“We’ll meet again.”

John sure hoped so and he smiled back. “Of course we will. Besides, I still owe you a meal. Maybe next Saturday, if you’re free…we can meet up again and I’ll take you out to dinner.” He suggested to the blond man, who smiled even wider, looking even younger than he had before.

“Sure, that sounds like a date to me. Next Saturday it is then. Until then, farewell.” Adam waved at him and then rode away. John laughed at the sight. DD looked very happy to be where he was almost like that was what he was born to do…be a motorcycle riding dog.

John watched the two until they disappeared over the horizon. He smiled to himself as he started to walk the four blocks to his small house. As he was walking, he mused about everything that had happened today.

He hadn’t expected to have so much fun…nevertheless meeting a new friend. He knew from the little he knew Adam, they were going to become good friends. His gut feelings were rarely wrong, so he was in good spirits at the thought of getting to know the strange blond haired man even better.

This time, as he passed by the dozens of people walking down the sidewalk, John smiled and wished them a good afternoon.

His smile was contagious, and soon, nearly everyone he passed smiled back at him and returned the kind gesture. He hadn’t ever thought about how even the smallest of gestures could drastically improve someone’s day.

All it took sometimes was one kind person reaching out to someone else who was suffering to help ease their melancholy.

 

John understood that now though.

 

 

 


End file.
